Safety device for automobiles



NOV. 12, 1929. N 1,735,743

SAFETY DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Oct. 6, 1928 s Sheet-Sheet 1 Abra/2 am fi'nn INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Nov. 12, 1929. A. FINN 1,735,743

SAFETY DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES 'Filed Oct. 6, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 flbl'afzam 1 22217 INVENTOR. W

ATTQRNEV. WlTNESi:

Nov. 12, 1929. A. FINN SAFETY DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed 001;. 6, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 flrah am f'zzzn lNVE iTOR ATTORNEY.

WITNESS:

Patented Nov. 12, 1929 rum, or ELIZABETE,'NEW JERSEY sums: DEVICE iron Auromomms Application at: October e, 1928. Serial No. 810,848.

This invention relates to improvements in safety..appara-tiis for automobiles and is identical with the invention disclosed in my application filed -March 11th,- 1927, Serial 5 .Number 174,583 which was held forfeited.

The primary object of the invention resides in the provision of a safety device for preventing an automobile from overturning when accidentally colliding. with another vehicle or object to prevent injury to the occupants thereof and damage to the automobile. It will be appreciated that the seriousness of many automobile accidents is caused by the upsetting'of the automobile after a collision, whereas if the same remained in an upright position, much damage and in ury may be prevented.

Another object of the-invention-ls the provision of a safety apparatus which is normaldered automatically operable when the bumper of the vehicle comes in contact with .another object.

A further object is to provide a safety apparatus which is automatically operable and which simultaneously operates the brakes of an automobile to bring the same to a quick sto Q ith these'and other objects in view,-the invention resides in certain novel construction and combination and arrangement of parts, the essential features of which are hereinafter' fully described, are particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and are illustratedin the accompanying drawing, in which i Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved safety device applied to an automobile and showing in dotted lines, the position of the parts after the mechanism has been moved to an operative position. 1

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the chassis of an automobile with my safety device thereon.

Figure 3' is a front elevation. Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the safety apparatus and showing in dotted lines the position of the parts after the automobile has been struck. V Figure 5 is a collective perspective view of several of the parts of my safety apparatus.

ly locked against operation but which is ren- Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 designates an automobile which includes a chassis 11 and a brake mechanism 12. Extending fromop- 'posite sides of the chassis 11 are sets of brackets 13, each set of which supports a horizontal rail 14 which extends parallel to the length of the chassis. The rail support members 15, each of which is provided with of the automobile and semi-circular portions 19 for exposing the wheels of a vehicle. Legs 20 extend downwardly from the curved portions' 19 to a plane even with the portion 18.

The front ends of the members 15 are.

captive bumper 21 which comprises arod 22 covered with a rubber or yieldable material 23. The covering of material terminates shortof the ends of the rod to permit the ends to be seated in openings 24, provided in the front ends of the members 15. Rotatably supported-by the front ends of the chassis is a trip rod 25 having a covering of yieldable material 26 thereon and disposed intermediate the side rails of the chassis so as to relieve any shock when the bumper 21 contacts therewith. The ends of the rod 25 extend through slots 27 provided in the front of the members 15 and are normally dis osed at the rear end I of the slots as shown in igure lot the drawings in order to permit the members to be 15' curved inwardly and support a removable moved in a rearward direction. The outer and inner sets of pins 28 and 29 are respectively provided on the ends of therod 25 and between which pins, the members 15 are disposed. The pins are normally disposed in a vertical position to lock the members 15 against outward swinging movement but are adapted to ,be moved to a horizontal position to an outward or operative position.

. e uipped with nil upon the rearward shifting of the'members .15 by reason of the cams 30 carried bykthe inner sides of said members and disposed in the path of the lower pins 20. Chains 31 com 5 nect the bumper 24 with the rod 25 for preventing the bumper from dropping free Iof the automobile after the members 'swi-ng hould an automobile my improved safety device cole with another vehicle or with a stationary object and the force of the blow should be directed to the outer end of the bumper 21 or In operation,

. to the bumper intermediate its ends, the said 15 bumper will 25 sides, the member 15 on the side to which it tips will automatically swing outward to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 4 of the drawings. The bumper 21 will drop to the ground'as the outward swinging movement of the members releases the same, but

the chains 31 prevent separation of the bumper from the automobile proper. When in the position shown iii Figure 4, the member 15 serves as a leg or support for preventing the further upsettin of the vehicle, The

portions 18, 19 and 20 o the members .15 further prevent damage to the body and wheels of an automobile should the same be struck on the side by any vehicle.

Pivoted on the chassis frame 11 is a lever 32, one end of which extends in the path of movement of a lug 33 provided on the inside of one of the members 15. The other end of the lever is connected by a cable 34 with the brake actuating cable 35 of the brake mechanism 12. As the member 15 moves backward, .the lug 33 strikes the outer end of the lever and swings the same about its pivot so that the inner end of the lever will exert a pull upon the cable 34 thus actuating the brake mechanism 12 to automatically apply the brakes of the vehicle in the event that the operator fails to do so. A contractile spring 36 has one end connected to the inner end of the lever 32 and its other end to the chassis for normally holdin the lever in a position shown in Figure 2 0 the drawing.

After the safety device has been actuated,

theparts may be moved back to normal position by the shifting of the members 15 forward and by turning the rod 25 to its original position and replacing the bumper 21 in the openings 24 provided therefor.

While I have described what I deem to be 6 the most desirable embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that many of the details may I be varied without in any way departing from the spirit of myinvention, and I therefore do ,inot limit myself to" the exact details of construction herein set forth nor to anything less than the whole of my invention limited only bythe appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:-- 1. In an automobile having a bumper mounted forward thereof, and means operable by gravity for preventing the tipping over of said automobile, said means being released 11 on the accidental colliding of the \bumper w th an object.

2. In an automobile having a bumper mounted'at one end thereof, a pair of mem bers swlngingly mounted on opposite sides of the automobile and extending approximately the length thereof, means for holdlngsaid members against swinging movement, and means operable by said bumper for actuatin said first means for permitting the free swinging movement of the same should said bumper come in contact with an -ob]ect, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In combination with the chassis of an automobile, a rod turnably mounted at one end thereof, a pair of members swingingly mounted on opposite sides of said chassis and movable longitudinally. with respect thereto, coacting means between said rod and said members for preventing outward swinging movement of said members, a bumper removably supported by said members forward of said rod, and means for releasing said coacting means upon backward movement of said bumper to free said members to allow the same to swing outward upon the lateral tilting of said chassis in either direction.

4. In combination with the chassis of an automobile, a rod turnably mounted at one end thereof, a pair of guard members swingingly mounted on opposite sides of said chassis and movable longitudinally with respect thereto, said guard members having diametrically opposed slots therein for the reception of the ends of said rod, pins carried by the ends of said rod for preventing the outw'ard swinging of said guard members, a captive bumper removably supported by said guard members forward of said rod, and means for imparting a partial rotation of said shaft to align said pins with said slots upon the backward movement ofsaid bumper and said guard members to free said guard members to allow the same to swing outward upon the lateral tilting of said chassis in either direction.

5. In combination with an automobile having brake mechanism, of a pair of guard members swingin ly mounted on opposite sides thereof an Islidable with respect thereto, a bumper removably mounted on the front of said guard members, means for nor- 130 I mally preventing the outward swintgmg of members for releasing said movements of said guard members,

movement of said said members, means operable upon e rearward movement of said bumper and said guard members for releasing said first means to free said ard members therefrom, and means opera le by the rearward sliding movement of said guard members for actuating said brake mechanism.

6. In combination having brake mechanism, of a pair of guard members swingingly mounted on opposite sides thereof and slidable withrespect there to, a bumper removably mounted on the front of said ard members, means for normally preventing the outward swinging of said members, means 0 erable upon the rearward movement of sai bumper and said guard first means to free said guard members therefrom, and means operable by the rearward sliding movement of said guard members for actuating said brake mechanism, said last means including a pivoted lever, one end of which is normally disposed in the path of a lug carried by one of said guard members, while the other of said lever is connected with the cable of said brake mechanism.

7. In combination with the chassis of an automobile, a rod journalled in the front thereof, aligned rails supported outwardlg from opposite members respectively mounted on said rails to lie parallel with respect to the sides of said chass1s for ,sliding and swinging movement thereon, a bumper removably carried by the front ends of said guard members and normally spanning the space therebetween, said guardmembers having opposed slots provided therein for .the reception of the ends of said rod, pins on the ends of said rods for normally preventing the outward swinging and cobetween said guard members acting means lmpartmg a partlal rotaand said rod for tion of said rod to cause said pins to alignwith said slots upon the rearward sliding guar'd members. In testimonywhereof I have aflixed my signature.

. ABRAHAM FINN.

with an automobile sides of said chassis, guar 

